Economy

In 1997 Samara Oblast became one of the few regions to receive
the approval of the President of Russia to implement
external bonded loans (Presidential decree № 1212, dated 12.10.1997
“On Creating Conditions to Conduct Loans Operations on the Internal
and External Capital Markets”).

Samara - the industrial
capital with over one million residents; was a closed city under
the USSR for its role as a center of the Russian aerospace
industry

Novokuybyshevsk - big oil city

Syzran - the region's third largest city, founded as a 17th
century fortress

Tolyatti - very large city named after the Italian communist,
and a major automobile producer; most of the city was destroyed in
a 1950s flood, but new cultural monuments have since been built,
including the massive 2003 Cathedral of the Transfiguration

Syzran's city center before the Volga

Samara River Bend National Park (Samarskaya Luka)

Zhigulevsky Nature Reserve

Understand

Samara Oblast is a heavily industrialized region along the Volga
and Samara rivers. The region rose to prominence during WWII when
its distance from the war front and abundant petroleum deposits
made it an attractive area for a new industrial center. The region
has little tourist infrastructure, but that in itself can make for
interesting travel. The capital, Samara, is of particular interest
since it is one of Russia's largest cities, formerly closed to all
foreign visitors, and has lots to see and do.